France’s Arthur Fils, center, holds the winner’s trophy after defeating Germany’s Alexander Zverev, right in the men’s singles final of the German Open, in Hamburg, Germany, Sunday, July 21, 2024. (Frank Molter/dpa via AP)
France’s Arthur Fils came out on top after a grueling three-set encounter with Alexander Zverev to win the Hamburg Open on Sunday, defeating the hometown player 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7/1).
After victory in Lyon last year, it is the 20-year-old’s second ATP title as he confirms his position as one of the sport’s leading next-gen players.
World number 28 Fils overcame German top seed Zverev on the clay in Hamburg after just over three-and-a-half hours on court.
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“I knew from the start it was not going to be easy. First set I was taking care of it, I think I had a little but of luck, but playing great. Then second set he managed to play better than me and to raise his level,” said Fils during the trophy ceremony.
“When we closed the roof I knew it was going to be just a fight, like a dogfight. You just have to fight until the last point, until the last ball. I’ve practising for a long time for this kind of moment so I’m really happy to win it.”
Fils pounced on a slow start by the big-serving Zverev to capitalise on a double fault and break the German in his very first service game.
He was severely tested in his third service game but managed to hold the Hamburg native at bay, before Zverev required treatment as play stopped midway through the next game at 40-40 with the German trailing 1-4.
He recovered to win the game but the damage was already done in the first set with Fils hanging on to serve out despite facing a total of nine break points in the set.
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But Zverev was now putting intense pressure on the Fils serve and managed to break his opponent at last, converting a break point at the eighth time of asking in the second set to take a 4-2 lead.
The second set then stayed on serve as the French Open runner-up took his hometown tournament to a decider.
The third set became a battle of attrition as both players held serve as it rumbled inevitably towards a tiebreak.
Fils was the first to attack in the tiebreak, forcing Zverev to net a forehand then pull a backhand long to give himself a 3-0 lead.
The 27-year-old German won his only point after outlasting his opponent in a long rally to go into the change of ends trailing 1-5.
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But Fils responded with a backhand winner up the line to give himself championship point, which he sealed as Zverev dumped his return into the net.